On Saturday, March 28 and Sunday, March 29, from 10 am – 5 pm, the Old
Barracks Museum will break your winter cabin fever by reliving the winter
of 1777-1778, when Washington’s troops were experiencing the harsh Winter
at Valley Forge. The Old Barracks will host 18th century carpenters,
tailors, cordwainers and shoemakers, hatters, gunsmiths, laundresses,
clerks, and members of the local militia. Come see the scale at which
production was happening in Trenton in 1778 in order to sustain the needs
of the Continental Army. Artisans and tradesmen will be demonstrating all
day, both days.
This program is included with our regular admission fee:
$10-Adult, $8-Student/Senior, Free-Children under 6, Active U.S. Military,
Members
In the winter of 1777-1778, George Washington’s Army suffered through harsh
winter with limited supplies at Valley Forge, PA. During that same winter,
the residents of Trenton were almost overwhelmed with satisfying the Army’s
manufacturing and supply demands while also trying to perform their
obligations to serve in the militia. This bit of history about New Jersey’s
capital city was not well known until the publishing of “Crossroads of the
Revolution: Trenton 1774-1783”, written by local historian, Larry Kidder.
The book vividly portrays Trenton as a beehive of activity that winter.
Gen. Casimir Pulaski had come to town making a great many demands for
leather goods and supplies for all the cavalry units under his command. The
Pennsylvania State Navy had taken refuge in town, with supply demands for
weapons, clothing, shoes, boots, and more to be manufactured by the many
artisans in the community.